Tag: novel

June 5: Top Ten Books I Decided To DNF/Put Down Recently
I’m not one to say I’ll never read a book, but lately I have been feeling disconnected with reading in general and have cast away many books. I’ve been flitting in and out of upwards of twenty books for years, and it’s definitely hampered my ability to just focus on and enjoy a really great read. You never know, I might well pick up and finish some of these one day, but that day is not today.

1. The Isle of the Lost by Melissa de la Cruz
I was really looking forward to reading this Disney retelling featuring the children of the villains as the protagonists, but I found it disappointingly juvenile and strangely slow-paced.

2. No Holding Back by Amanda Holden
As a big fan of Amanda Holden I was initially invested in her autobiography whilst on holiday, but then I put it down and never picked it up again. I’m sure I’ll finish it one day, as I’m especially interested in her time in South Africa.

3. The World According to Clarkson by Jeremy Clarkson
I’m certainly not Clarkson’s biggest fan, but he does make the occasional good point and backs it up with evidence. His columns are sometimes amusing, but I got bored of his writing style.

4. How To Be Single by Liz Tuccillo
This was one of my biggest bookish disappointments in recent years: I love the movie based on this book, but the inspiration for the film is so dull and dry.

5. Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige
The beginning of this YA novel had me completely hooked; a girl with psychological problems is locked up in a mental hospital, but then it became a cliche fantasy story.

6. Frozen Charlotte by Alex Bell
At first I was totally drawn in by this mysterious book, but sadly it became dull and repetitive, and not at all scary.

7. Barry Trotter and the Shameless Parody by Michael Garber
I first read this when I was just a kid after reading Harry Potter, and I thought it was quite funny, but my attempt at a re-read failed abysmally. It is honestly the biggest rip-off in history and not at all amusing.

8. Into the Water by Paula HawkinsThe Girl on the Train was one of my favourite thrillers, but Paula Hawkins second novel didn’t grip me from the beginning like her first. Perhaps I wasn’t really in the mood for a thriller and I’ll give it another go one day?

9. No Middle Name by Lee Child
This is a collection of Jack Reacher short stories released in a bind-up for the first time; I read the first one and enjoyed it, but I’m somewhat worried about spoilers, so I think I’ll continue with the series before reading this anthology.

10. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Years ago I began reading this psychological book, and I was really enjoying it, but it’s something that requires intense concentration, and I just don’t have that to dedicate to a book right now. One day I will further my learning on this matter.

We are almost halfway through 2018, and my entire reading year has been shrouded in a deep reading slump. To put a number on it, in the first five months of 2018, I only read three books. Three. By way of comparison, in the same period in 2017, I read nineteen.

As with the 1st of any given calendar month, today’s blog post should be highlighting all the wondrous books I consumed in the previous month, but as with two of the past four months (February: On Not Reading; March: On (Continued) Reading Slumps), I have nothing to “wrap-up”.

I’m not going to lie and say that I’m entirely disappointed by my inability to read so far this year; the truth is that other things have taken priority in my life, and I’m so happy that they have. However, it does feel like there is something missing, and that something is the fictional worlds in which I have spent the past twenty-three years of my life, (I’m not counting my current twenty-fourth year given my reading slump), happily living.

Now, to the point of May’s “Wrap-Up”.

For the past few years, I’ve kept track of my book-blogging/bookstagram commitments in a Word document, laying out all the posts I’ve got to write, and accompanying photographs I’ve got to take, in any given month. Directly underneath the header for January, February etc. was my TBR, prominently listing all the books I began in previous months, but had yet to finish. This didn’t use to prove problematic for me, when the number of current reads was hovering around five, but for the past (almost) two years, that number has been more like twenty.

The twenty-one books I was “currently reading” as of 01/06/18

Over the past few months, I’ve been kidding myself that the number wasn’t bothering me, but the truth is, it was. It is. As a result, I’ve come to the long-overdue decision to scrap my “Currently Reading” shelf. Metaphorically, and physically to some extent, it has gone.

From today, I will no longer be marking any book as “Currently Reading” on Goodreads, or noting it down in any form. I’m simply going to read what I feel like reading, when I feel like reading it, and mark whatever I did read as finished (with no given start-date) upon completion, in the hopes that my reading becomes less about the numbers, and more about the enjoyment. To be honest, I already feel more free, and that is a result in itself.

Now, I think it’s time to read something, anything, for pleasure, and rediscover why I fell in love with books in the first place. If you’ll excuse me, I have fictional worlds to explore.

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To put it simply, my resolution of buying fewer books failed abysmally in May, but I have no regrets, just look at that beautiful collection of new books (I’d insert the hearts eyes emoji here if I could!) Even more excitingly, seven of this month’s haul are signed first editions, and you all know how much of a sucker I am for collectables.

Most excited to read:Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
The first book in this semi-series, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, is one of my favourite LGBT YA novels, so I’m very excited to see what becomes of the characters I grew to love.

Most excited to own:Circe by Madeline Miller (signed)
Although I’ve yet to read Madeline Miller’s debut, The Song of Achilles, both books have received such stellar praise that I’m very excited to dive into her mythological novels soon.

N.B. The Life Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k by Sarah Knight should have been included in April’s Book Haul, but I misplaced it.

For more content, visit @charlottebibliophile on Goodreads, Instagram and YouTube

May 29: Top Ten Bookish Worlds I’d Never Want To Live In
This week’s topic is interesting. We, as bookworms, always consider the fictional worlds we would like to live in (Hogwarts, Narnia etc.), but typically dismiss their horrific and dystopian counterparts.

1. Westeros (A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin)
Knowing my luck, I would not survive in Westeros (mind you, who does?!) The entire fictional world is at war, which is not something I’d want any part in.

2. District 12 (The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins)
I wouldn’t want to live anywhere in this dystopian universe, but District 12 would probably be the worst. At least in the Capitol residents have enough food to eat, and they don’t have to compete in the Games.

3. New York (They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera)
The plot of this incredible novel revolves around Death-Cast, a technological invention that allows every individual to know their death-day on the day they are going to die. I would simply not want to know my own D-Day.

4. Space (The Loneliest Girl In The Universe by Lauren James)
Being trapped alone in space would be horrific. Surrounded only by your own thoughts, and the ghosts of your past would be unbearable.

5. London (Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell)
Although we are (scarily) approaching something similar to this world, I would hate to have my thoughts monitored, and live in this oppressive society.

6. Vancouver (Nod by Adrian Barnes)
When the zombie apocalypse arrives as a result of the majority of the population being unable to sleep, humanity dissolves; attacking and murdering each other becomes the order of the day.

7. UK parallel universe (Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman)
Where racism prevalent, to the extent that terrorism is rife, and opposite-gender relationships are all-but banned, this world is just terrifying.

8. The Island (Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe)
I am not the most practical of people, and I’m pretty certain that I do not possess the ability to survive on a desert island on my own. So, no thank you.

9. Middle Earth (The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien)
Orcs and goblins running rife? Dragons? Giant spiders? Evil and death ruling the world? Not for me. Definitely not for me.

10. The Glade (The Maze Runner by James Dashner)
Surrounded by killer insects, hemmed in by a monstrous maze which the inhabitants have to find an escape from, surviving off the land and their own initiative: nope.

May 22: Top Ten Best Character Names
I am a sucker for a good character name. I especially love all the classical names, especially if they are mixed with kickass modern counterparts. This week’s picks come courtesy of novels I have read to date; I am quite sure that there are many more incredible character names out there that I’ve yet to discover or read about.

1. Coriolanus Snow (The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins)
Ever since studying the Shakespeare play, Coriolanus, I’ve had a special love of this character’s name. A ruthless leader, he perfectly embodies his namesake, and his surname holds many appropriate connotations.

2. Cormoran Blue Strike (The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith)
J.K. Rowling possesses an amazing talent for creating inventive character names, and the hero of her crime novels is no different.

3. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling)
What. A. Name. Of all the incredible character names in the Wizarding World, Albus’s is the most beautiful and wonderfully creative. Props JKR.

4. Atticus Finch (To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee)
This name is clear and crisp, yet highlights its owner’s deeper and more thoughtful individual character traits.

5. Celaena Sardothien (Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas)
Sarah J. Maas possesses the incredible skill of being able to think up the most wacky names. Often they are completely unpronounceable, which I view as a successful character name.

6. Richard Campbell Gansey III (The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater)
I love regal sounding names, and the male lead in The Raven Cycle is no different. Gansey’s name just appears so formal and proper.

7. Romy Silvers (The Loneliest Girl In The Universe by Lauren James)
Plain and simple, I think this name is beautiful. It is simple and understated, yet carries with is an edge of uniqueness.

8. Octavia Blake (The 100 by Kass Morgan)
Kass Morgan’s character names often seamlessly meld the classical and the modern, which is exactly why I appreciate them to such a high degree.

9. Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo (The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot)
I don’t think anyone could possibly deny that Mia’s name is thoroughly royal, and perfectly suits her status as Princess of Genovia (I still can’t believe it’s not a real place!)

10. Daenerys Targaryen (A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin)
There are many character names in the A Song of Ice and Fire series that I think are wonderful inventions, but Dany is my favourite.

May 15: Top Ten Books I Disliked But Am Really Glad I Read
I don’t think that there’s a single book that I’ve not been glad to have read, or have got some positive reading experience out of. I genuinely believe that every book contains within its pages interesting or informative concepts, and as a result this list was surprisingly easy to compile. Every book listed on this week’s TTT only received two stars (out of five) on my Goodreads profile, but I certainly gleaned benefits from reading.

1. The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope
Upon completion of my first year of university, I enrolled on an online summer course about modern fantasy fiction, and this was the first novel studied. As far as fantasy goes, it couldn’t be further removed from the genre; it read more like historical fiction, and as my least favourite genre I simply didn’t connect with the subject matter.

2. Don Juan by Lord Byron
This epic poem was heavy going. It was intense and required intense study, but as required reading for part of my English Masters I definitely gained a significant insight into the work.

3. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
This novel is Jane Eyre accompanying novel: set a number of years before Charlotte Brontë’s masterpiece, it focuses on Mr Rochester’s first wife, Bertha, and their turbulent relationship upon a Caribbean island.

4. A Study In Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
Before reading the first Sherlock Holmes novel, I was convinced that I would absolutely devour and love the stories, but in reality I found it hard going and strangely dull, given that it concerned a murder.

5. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Another novel that was required reading for my fantasy fiction course, it was certainly interesting to read the original work that inspired the Disney character, but it was actually much darker than I was anticipating.

6. Eragon by Christopher Paolini
I’ve read this particular novel twice; the first time I read it I was about twelve and I absolutely devoured it (this was during my most prominent fantasy-loving phase), but the second time I read it, only a few years ago, I found it incredibly slow and tedious.

7. Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding
Given that I absolutely adore the film series and the character portrayed by Renée Zellweger, I expected to love the novel that inspired the adaptation more. Sadly, I found it too trivial and colloquially written.

8. Antigone by Jean Anouilh
The very first text that I studied for my MA English was Antigone by Sophocles, which I genuinely loved, as it read very much like a modern day dystopian. However, this retelling set in fascist Germany felt dull in comparison, and it concerned a historical time period with which I am neither well versed, nor particularly interested in.

9. Paradise Lost by John Milton
The epic poem starring Satan that I read as part of my English MA was an incredibly detailed and heavy going read, and required intense concentration. Thankfully, listening to the audiobook whilst reading along provided a much more manageable reading experience.

10. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
Having read and loved the first novel in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Game of Thrones, I was fully expecting to also enjoy the second volume. However, this book suffered from second novel syndrome, and was unfortunately incredibly dull in comparison.

May 8: Top Ten Books With My Favourite Colour On The Cover
This week’s theme offered with it some room for personal interpretation, and as a result, instead of revisiting books that I’ve read and listed scores of times, I decided to make this a TBR themed post. In terms of colour, I don’t really have a favourite per se, but red is up there, so red it is.

1. The Circle by Dave Eggers
I hadn’t heard of this book until I saw the movie trailer starring Emma Watson and Tom Hanks. I believe it’s a psychological thriller, with science playing a prominent role.

2. Nomad by James Swallow
After reading I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes, which turned out to be my favourite thriller of all time, this book was recommended as having a similar writing and plot, so when I’m in the mood for some crime, this is what I’ll be reading.

3. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
I received this novel as a Book of the Month club offering from Goldsboro Books; I love crime and thrillers, but I’ve been reading fewer within the genre recently.

5. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
If there’s one sub-genre within YA that is a guaranteed hit with me, it’s fairytale retellings. This one is based on one of my favourites, Beauty and the Beast.

6. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
This is a YA retelling of One Thousand and One Nights, an Arabian tale I do not have much experience with or knowledge about, but I’m intrigued by the mystery surrounding it.

7. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
The only Patrick Ness book I’ve read to date (A Monster Calls) reduced me to tears. The movie adaptation of this, starring Daisy Ridley and Tom Holland, is due for release in 2019, so I definitely want to dive into this sci-fi/dystopian trilogy as soon as possible.

8. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
I haven’t read a vampire book since I finished the Twilight Saga a few years ago, and since then my life has been seriously missing the bloodsuckers. Will rectify.

9. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
This book has been on my TBR list for years, but with the release of the movie earlier this year, I think it’s finally time to read the novel before diving into the adaptation.

10. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
This sci-fi/fantasy/dystopian has been on my shelves for years, in fact, I have the first three books in the series sitting there waiting to be read. One day.

For only the second time this year, I am writing a Reading Wrap-Up. That fact would usually seem preposterous to me, as the idea of me not reading is just something that doesn’t happen in theory, let alone in practice, but 2018 began with a gigantic reading slump, and so here we are. Happily, April saw my reintroduction to reading, both for university and pleasure purposes, and as such, my 2018 Reading Challenge is (sort of) back on track.

Whilst I didn’t read as much as I was hoping to in April (I desperately wanted to read the three novels I’m planning on writing my English MA dissertation on: 1984 by George Orwell (check), The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley), I am at least glad that I’m reading again. Onwards and upwards in May.

For more content, visit @charlottebibliophile on Goodreads, Instagram and YouTube

May 1: Top Ten Books I’d Slay A (Metaphorical) Lion To Get Early
Anticipated releases are something that excite me greatly. There is no better feeling than getting your hands on a book that you have been waiting for for weeks, months, or years, and finally being able to dive into the world. This week’s topic contains my ten currently most anticipated books, some of which don’t even have a release date yet! *cries*

1. Lethal White by Robert Galbraith
This has been my single most anticipated release since I finished reading Career of Evil in October 2015. I simply cannot wait to see what happens with Robin and Cormoran, and where there next adventure takes them.

2. The Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes
The follow up to my favourite thriller of all time, I Am Pilgrim, has an ever-changing release date (and not in a good way). It feels as though I’ve been waiting for this novel forever, and at the time of writing this post, it is scheduled for release in October 2019. Urgh.

3. The Time Traveler’s Wife (sequel) by Audrey Niffenegger
When I met Audrey a little over two years ago at LBF 2016, she told me that she was intending on having the sequel to my favourite novel of all time ready for 2018 publication, but having not since seen any evidence, I’m not holding my breath just yet.

4. Eve of Man by Giovanna and Tom Fletcher
I love the entire Fletcher family, and have read books by both Gi and Tom as individual authors, so I’m excited to see how their debut collaboration compares. Plus the premise sounds incredible. And they are appearing at YALC in the summer, so I need my hands on this, stat.

5. Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. MaasA Court of Thorns and Roses remains one of my favourite books of all time, and despite the fact that I am now well behind on both that series and Throne of Glass, I’m looking forward to reading a standalone by the author.

6. City of Ghosts by V.E. Schwab
V.E. Schwab’s first middle grade novel sounds creepy and exciting; set in Edinburgh it centres around Cassidy, a young girl who can see ghosts, and her best friend just happens to be one. Chilling.

7. What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Two of my favourite authors combine to write a novel? I’m sold. I want this book right this second, simple as that.

8. Save the Date by Morgan Matson
Having read a couple of Morgan Matson novels, I have concluded that they are perfect summer reading. The characters are always super cute and the plots are feel-good.

9. Meet Cute by Jennifer L. Armentrout and others
There’s little better in the summer than reading cute anthologies, and this volume sounds particularly adorable, and it has stories written by some of my favourite authors.

10. Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
Fortunately for me, this is released in the UK in two days time. I cannot wait to get my hands on this novel and discover what happens to the characters post-Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda.

Following the blip that was my March 2018 Book Haul, I appear to be back on track with my bookish resolution of buying fewer books. Only three novels came into my possession this month, two of them signed, and one to add to my ever-expanding Jack Reacher collection. To be honest, I’d call that a resounding success.

Most excited to read:The Midnight Line by Lee Child
Given that I’m reading the Jack Reacher thrillers in release date order, and I’ve currently only read the first four novels, this twenty-second volume might well take me years to get to, but I’m excited to read it nevertheless.

Most excited to own:The Fates Divide by Veronica Roth (signed)
I’ve yet to read Carve the Mark (the first novel in this duology), but I now have a matching signed set, and that alone is enough to make this bibliophile exceedingly happy.

For more content, visit @charlottebibliophile on Goodreads, Instagram and YouTube